


Curiosity

by 7estrixia (Destielixer)



Series: Jaal Learns About... [1]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Jaal exploring the human body, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 21:15:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10396317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destielixer/pseuds/7estrixia
Summary: Scott Ryder was the young human who had come to his planet. If there was one thing that Jaal noticed about the human was the way Ryder’s eyes always seemed to watch him whenever they were in a room together. It was always a subtle stare, or glance which usually resulted in Ryder’s face turning red and then looking away from him. It was really quite different from the Scott Ryder that Jaal had first met.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is my first story with this pairing, so be kind. I happened to think it up while having breakfast this morning and I sort of just rolled with it and wrote it out. Hope you guys enjoy! P.S. I tagged it as 'Mature' just in case ;)

Being the new guy on the ship was no fun especially if you were of an entirely different species. Jaal was surrounded by these…aliens. So many new and different species from the Milky Way. He garnered stares from almost any and everyone onboard this new ship. Krogans, turians, salarians, and most especially the humans. He seemed to get odd stares from these…humans…they were possibly one of the strangest creatures that Jaal had seen so far. They were all small sized and soft looking, defenceless really and each of them had a different sort of facial structure that it made it rather hard for Jaal to remember who was who on this ship — apart from Scott Ryder of course.

Scott Ryder was the young human who had come to his planet. If there was one thing that Jaal noticed about the human was the way Ryder’s eyes always seemed to watch him whenever they were in a room together. It was always a subtle stare, or glance which usually resulted in Ryder’s face turning red and then looking away from him. It was really quite different from the Scott Ryder that Jaal had first met.

Scott was the first outsider to see his homeworld. The first alien that the angara had seen too.

“He’s a human from another galaxy. A Pathfinder,” Governor Shie said upon their meeting.

Jaal remembers looking at Scott standing amidst a crowd of his people in a large courtyard, alone. He remembers the way Scott had nodded to him, a form of greeting, his blue eyes watching Jaal, calmly staring him down. Scott was strong. Jaal sensed that he had a strong will about him. Which made Jaal question why he was being so weak now, not meeting his stare, and then promptly looking away. It was frustrating to say the least.

On top of that, it seemed to Jaal that Scott was now avoiding him!

The human had previously been so open and welcoming towards him when Jaal knew no one else aboard the Tempest. He understood that the others were cautious of him, wary even. It was only natural. He was equally wary of them too. Jaal knew it would be some time before they opened up to the idea of an alien not of the Milky Way. However Scott had treated him differently. He spent time with Jaal when nobody else would and Jaal had grown to like the human’s company. He had found it a common and usual occurrence to have Scott come and look for him between missions when he was fiddling around with his rifle, trying to make upgrades with it or some other thing.

Scott had always seemed curious about his life and sometimes they would spend hours talking before someone came down to personally drag Scott away from him and off to work.

Nowadays though, Jaal rarely spoke with the brunet. And when, if ever he saw Scott, it was only through fleeting glances.

Jaal had had enough of it.

He would confront Scott Ryder about it the next chance he got.

* * *

 

Said chance presented itself to Jaal later that day when most of the crew were gathered on the mess deck. Jaal found Scott playing a game of cards with the engineer Gil, Liam, Cora and Peebee. Scott was laughing as he scooped up his winnings, gathering what seemed to be colourful little round sweets to his side of the table, “How about another round since I’m on a roll?”

Jaal waited for a bit before he approached the table, “Ryder.”

Scott froze at the sound of his name from the angara’s lips. /Be still my beating heart!/ Steeling himself, he turned to face Jaal.

“Hello Jaal,” Scott said with a smile. How he missed seeing the angara’s face.

“Do you…have a moment?” Jaal asked eyeing the others at the table, they didn’t seem too happy that Jaal was going to steal their friend away.

“Um…yeah of course,” Scott answered, “Do you want to join us or something?”

“No. I need to speak with you.”

“Oookayyy…one second,” Scott said holding up a finger before he turned to look at the rest of his friends as if asking permission.

“I’m not losing more of these what did you call them?” Peebee asked indicating the sweets.

“M&M’s,” Liam supplied.

“I’m not losing more of these M&M’s, to you,” Peebee said.

“Same here.” Gil.

“It seems important whatever it is he wants to talk to you about,” Liam said.

Scott stared at Cora. She knew. /Please don’t make me leave with Jaal!/

“Jaal are you sure you don’t want to join us for a game?” Cora asked.

“Yes. I am most certain. I need to speak with Scott. Alone,” Jaal answered.

Cora shrugged, helpless to Scott’s situation, “Alright then.”

Scott steeled himself and turned back around to Jaal, “Come on,” he moved away from the table, Jaal following close behind him. When Scott was sure he was far away enough from the group, he stopped, “So what did you want to talk to me about?”

Jaal stopped farther up ahead, “I would prefer it if you returned to my quarters with me.”

Scott’s eyes widened at the open invitation. He swallowed, “Um…that's very...nice of you Jaal but…”

Jaal looked almost hurt, “Are you unwilling?”

“No!” Scott burst, he felt bad instantly. “No, no, no. It's just um…would we be alone in your room? Just me and you?”

“Most certainly. Do you have a problem with that Scott?”

“Ah…I uh…” Scott scrubbed the back of his neck nervously. If there was a book on ‘How To Deal With Your Angara Without Hurting His Feelings’ or one about ‘How To Tell Your Angara How You Feel’ then Scott definitely needed it right now.

“I see no reason for you to fear me when we have already conversed together, alone, so many times before,” Jaal pointed out and then added, “I am sure I have established the fact that I will not hurt you Scott.”

Scott caved at that. Jaal sure knew how to woo him over with his words.

“Alright, lead the way big guy,” he said because, what could go wrong?

* * *

 

Scott kind of immediately regrets his choice because once they are alone in the confines of Jaal's room, he can't seem to breathe right. His throat is tight and the room seems to have shrunk considerably. He was also sure that his heart was hammering so hard that it might very well just burst out of his chest.

Jaal noticed that Scott had stopped just a few steps inside his room. He stuck close to the door, almost quite as though he was frozen in that spot.

“Are you alright, Scott?” he asked, concerned.

“Yeah,” Scott manages with a wave of his hand, “Yeah I'm fine it's just…is it me or does your room have a really poor cooling system?”

“Are you feeling hot?” Jaal asks as he takes to the panel that controls the room’s temperature.

“Well yeah…but it’s probably nothing to worry about,” Scott says as he watches Jaal fiddle about with the room’s temperature, probably turning the temperature down.

/That’s not going to do anything, Jaal you sweet Angara…/

Scott lets his eyes linger on Jaal’s back. Why did he have to wear that blue cape? Scott wouldn’t have minded admiring his large, broad-shouldered frame tapering to a lean waist. He wouldn’t have minded…

Jaal turns around catching Scott at it again. This time, fully staring at him. He meets Scott’s gaze, “Are you feeling better now?”

Scott kind of nods mutely as he watches Jaal come over to him. The angara raises a large hand and pushes is against Scott’s forehead, cool skin touching his own. Scott draws in a sharp breath on contact, his eyes drawn to Jaal’s very, very blue ones. Words seem to fail him as the moment draws out in silence.

Jaal cocks his head to the side, “Your skin is so warm,” he says pressing his palm to the human’s forehead gently, “Perhaps you are feeling unwell?”

Scott shook his head, finding his tongue, “I doubt so. Like I said, poor cooling system in your room is probably the cause.”

“How is it then that I do not feel that warm?” Jaal asked.

/Oh Jaal!/

Scott lets out a breath when the angara finally pulled away, “Um…my best guess? You’re not human. Aaaand also becaaauseee….beingalonewithyoukindofmakesmenervous,” he gushes tagging a nervous little laugh to the end of his speech, hoping Jaal might not have caught that.

But who was he kidding? Of course the angara would have picked up on that!

“My sincere apologies Scott. I assure you I had no intention of making you feel nervous around me,” Jaal said fixing him with what could only be the most apologetic looking eyes ever.

Great now Scott felt like an ass!

“Jaal it’s not your fault,” he says, quickly trying to remedy the situation, “This…thing…it has nothing to do with you…okay no, no,” Scott corrected himself, “It has something to do with you but it’s also got something to do with me.”

Jaal looked confused, “I’m afraid you have lost me, Scott. What do you mean?”

/Oh this is it then. This is the biiiiig reveal./

Scott decides to go ahead and take the plunge. He reaches out and takes Jaal's large hand in his. He can feel his heart hammering in his chest as he guides the angara’s large hand to rest against his chest, right over his beating heart.

Scott swallows at the feel of Jaal’s hand on his body. He looks up, meeting Jaal’s curious gaze. Well at least he didn’t seem repulsed by any of this just yet.

“You feel this?” he asked, his voice sounding an octave too high.

Jaal presses his hand against Scott's chest and nods, “Yes.” He can feel a fluttering of a pulse under his hand. Scott’s pulse. His eyes meet Scott's and the brunet kind of smiles.

“You see Jaal…I’m…just a little nervous when it comes to being around you,” Scott begins.

“I assume this does not happen often?” Jaal asks stroking his hand against Scott's chest, exploring.

Scott's eyes flutter close and he purses his lips stifling whatever noise he would have made. It takes all his resolve not to just jump Jaal right now. “No,” he finally breathes, “This does not happen often at all. This is a first for me Jaal.”

“I see.”

Jaal liked to feel that fluttering of Scott’s pulse under his hand. It is almost in tune to his own pulse. Curiosity has Jaal taking advantage of the moment now, hand on Scott's chest, he pushes the human back up against the nearest wall.

Scott feels the wall hit his back, and he sucks in air through his teeth. This was entering dangerous territory.

“Jaal... what are you…” he doesn’t manage to finish the sentence because the angara moves his large hand down exploring the planes of Scott's chest beneath the thin material of his shirt. His fingers graze the hem of Scott’s shirt now and watching Scott’s eyes he slips his hand under the human’s shirt, feeling heated skin against his palm.

“Ooohhh…shit…” Scott breathes, squeezing his eyes shut as he feels Jaal’s cool hand against his body.

“Is this good?” Jaal asks.

“Yeah…” Scott sighs, “Yeah it’s good…” he says with a little smile as he opens his eyes once more, meeting the angara’s intense gaze.

Jaal studies the way Scott’s expression changes, how his entire being seems to come alive as his hand coasts up, Scott’s warm body. His palm feels the hardened little nubs on Scott’s chest as he thumbs the tightening bud all the while watching as the human's eyes darken and his lips part, that pink tongue flicking out to wet his lips. Scott’s chest swells under his hand as he breathes. Jaal curls his fingers up against the human’s chest and then spreads them out again, drawing a breathy little noise — which Jaal most definitely finds pleasing to his ears — from Scott’s lips.

“Jaal…”

“You are so tiny,” Jaal says as he slips his hand out from under Scott’s shirt. He wants to touch the human again, to watch Scott writhe.

Scott’s eyelids droop, half stifling a moan now as Jaal's hand moves to his neck his thumb stroking that sensitive spot just behind his ear. “I-Is that an insult?” Scott breathes tilting his head as Jaal's hand slowly massages his neck. The action is so simple and yet, it makes Scott feel a fire burning low in his belly.

“No.” The answer is simple, “I quite like you like this. Unbridled, bold, strong…”

Scott's eyes flutter open and he looks at Jaal. Was that his form of a confession? The angara’s eyes were dark oceans contained by the tiniest rings of blue now. “Remind me again why I was invited here?”

Jaal stepped closer towards the human, thumbing Scott’s smooth skin, “I was wondering why you were avoiding me. Why your face always turned red when you looked at me before looking away from me. I think I know the reason now,” Jaal says as he lowers his head to Scott’s their foreheads coming into contact.

“Y-you do?” Scott asks as he swallows hard when Jaal’s hand on his neck shifts to cradle his head.

“Not fully, no. But I think I understand better the reason as to why you have been avoiding me,” Jaal whispers, his other arm snaking around Scott’s lithe body and drawing the human up against his chest. “I think I also understand why I felt so frustrated when you weren’t around.”

Scott pushes his forehead back against Jaal’s, leaning into the angara’s larger frame, “I’m sorry. I was shy…” he admitted, “But I’m sure glad we’ve sort of cleared things up, right?” he breathes, feeling a spark of fire ignite inside him as Jaal just brushed his lips against his in answer; a soft, chaste kiss.

“Teach me your ways Scott Ryder,” Jaal whispers, his voice tender, soft and accompanied by another brush of innocent angaran lips.

“I want to learn more about you.”


End file.
